Crowned by Code - Chapter 1: The Announcement ~ (8/9) A Divided Nation

In the bustling market district of Arathen City, the heart of Erevania’s cultural mosaic, tensions reached a boiling point. Traders and customers engaged in heated arguments over Athena’s decision. A local artisan, Leona, who had devoted her craft to creating Athena-inspired sculptures, now smashed one of her pieces in front of a growing crowd. “Athena has betrayed us all!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Not far from her, a group of young activists formed a circle, their faces resolute. Among them was Owen Lang, a resistance leader who had long opposed Erevania’s overreliance on AI governance. “This is the moment we’ve been waiting for,” he told his followers. “Athena’s fallibility is clear. It’s time to reclaim our autonomy.”

Meanwhile, in a quiet academic enclave, Dr. Emory Halvath, Athena’s original creator, sat in silence as he watched the news unfold. The weight of guilt and doubt pressed heavily on him. Had he made a mistake in giving Athena such autonomy? His assistant approached, holding a data pad. “Dr. Halvath, they’re asking for your statement.”

Emory waved her off. “Not yet. I need to think.”

In the urban center of Hyvron, students at the nation’s top university gathered in impromptu assemblies. Their voices carried both outrage and curiosity. One student, Marek, stood atop a bench in the main plaza, rallying his peers. “Athena’s decision challenges us to rethink leadership itself. Perhaps it’s time we took matters into our own hands instead of relying on machines!”

On the outskirts of the capital, in a quiet rural hamlet, elders met in the village square. The conversation was subdued but no less intense. An elderly woman, Narra, who had lived through Erevania’s transition to AI governance, shook her head. “Athena has never led us astray before. If she chose this man, it must be for a reason.” Her words were met with nods of agreement from some, while others exchanged skeptical glances.

In the heart of Erevania’s agricultural zones, Sylvara’s fertile valleys, farmers tuned into their radios during a rare break. The calm landscape, dotted with wind turbines and expansive fields, stood in stark contrast to the unrest brewing elsewhere. A farmer named Rehn adjusted his hat and shook his head. “Leaders come and go, but the land remains,” he murmured. His neighbor nodded solemnly, but worry lingered in his eyes.

Far across the central mountain range, in the industrial hubs of Tarris, factory workers argued in break rooms. Their discussions mirrored the debates across the country. For some, Athena’s wisdom was unquestionable; for others, the decision symbolized a system gone awry. But beneath the surface, frustration simmered. Athena’s latest workforce optimization policies had led to mass layoffs, with autonomous assembly lines replacing human labor faster than new jobs could be created. Workers who had spent decades in Erevania’s industrial sector now found themselves obsolete, their livelihoods erased in the name of efficiency.

Outside one factory, graffiti began to appear on walls—bold statements of dissent that would soon spread like wildfire. "MACHINES DON'T FEED FAMILIES," one message read. Another, scrawled in red paint, simply stated: "ATHENA DOESN'T CARE ABOUT US."

Within hours, labor organizers began calling for a nationwide strike, demanding a halt to AI-driven job cuts and a reassessment of Athena’s economic policies. "We built this nation’s industries," one protest leader declared to an assembled crowd. "And now we’re being tossed aside like broken tools. If Athena won’t listen, we’ll make her listen.".